Teen Wolf BigBang Fic - My Isabella (Teen) - 6/9
Previous Parts:
Masterpost | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Stiles threw Isabella’s bag over his shoulder and then pulled her out of her car seat, turning towards the library.
“Stiles!”
He turned around and smiled when he caught sight of Megan, walking up the stairs behind him with her son, Trevor, on her hip.
“We missed you last week,” she said, smiling at him brightly.
“Izzy was grizzly, it just wasn’t worth it. She had a nap instead…actually, we both did.”
Megan smiled at him. “Are you coming for a coffee after?”
“Of course.”
They walked into the library and through the bookshelves until they reached the children’s section. Stiles put Isabella down on the floor, on one side of the butterfly printed rug that they always put out for rhyme time. She went straight for the board books and Stiles turned his back only to drop her backpack next to one of the stools that had been ringed around the area. He turned around to find Isabella about to shove a book into her mouth.
“No,” he pulled the book back from her mouth and put it out of her reach giving him just enough time to pull his own blanket out of the bag and lay it on the floor before she had the book again.
“She’s getting faster,” Romilly, another of the mother’s, said, putting her own daughter Selene down on the mat.
“I know,” Stiles said, “eventually I’m not going to be able to put her down while I get organised.”
He grabbed Isabella and sat her down on their blanket sitting down behind her. She used his legs to pull herself up until she was standing, holding herself upright against his chest.
A few mothers he didn’t know walked into the area, hesitant.
“Hello,” Stiles said, with a smile.
“Hi.”
“I’m Stiles, and this is Izzy.”
One of the mothers smiled at him with relief. “I’m Jane, and this is Sam, that’s a he Sam.”
Stiles laughed.
“Everyone gets confused.”
“Have you been before?”
“No,” she said, sitting down next to him, Sam happily lying on her legs.
“Well, we have a couple of different people who run the sessions and they’re all good.”
“You come a lot?”
Stiles nodded. “Generally every week, unless Izzy’s sick. It’s a nice way of meeting other parents and doing things with her.”
Jane nodded. “That’s what I read.”
“Hello, everyone,” the librarian said, coming into the area. Stiles bit back a smirk - she was young, not much older than he was but she was never-endingly perky, positive and downright excitable. Stiles spent half of the time at these sessions thinking up snarky things he could say to Lydia, and the rest noticing how much Isabella seemed to enjoy her personality. “If you haven’t met me before I’m Cindy.”
Cindy chatted around the room for a few minutes and then threw herself into the actual session, rhymes and songs, books and action activities, aimed at teaching the babies about the world and helping their language acquisition. Stiles had been turned onto rhyme time by yet another parenting website, not that he spent as much time on them anymore. It was nice though, he had walked in that first session not quite knowing what to expect and found a group of mainly women who were all older than him with their children. The first session he’d hung back and been quiet. It was only half an hour and he’d managed it, but by the second session he figured that he was going to be spending time with these people every week so he might as well just be himself. He had introduced himself to all of the other parents and some of them had obviously not really wanted to speak to him but he had made friends with a small group of mums. Ninety percent of the time he was the only dad at the sessions, and after the group found out his story, they had decided he should be adopted as a member of their mother’s group. Stiles thought they needed a new name but he did like developing friendships with other people who were also going through the same things he was.
After the session he invited Jane along with them for their standard walk across the stretch of grass between the library and an outdoor café. She came along, their group moving over slowing and taking a large table in the shade, like they did every week.
They were sitting around with their coffees, chatting. Isabella, like most of the other babies was happily drinking her milk, or eating a snack.
“Stiles?”
Stiles twisted around, already smiling. “Hey, Lydia.”
Lydia walked over to him, perching on his knee and smiling at the women at the table after she had kissed Isabella on the head.
“Everyone, this is Lydia.”
“What are you doing here?” Lydia asked.
“Just had Rhyme Time,” Stiles said.
“Oh, yeah, totally forget that was today, and did you enjoy yourself?” Lydia asked turning to Isabella. She smiled at Lydia and went back to gnawing on her teething ring.
“And now we’re having coffee and chatting,” Stiles continued.
“It’s good that you’re spending time with other parents,” Lydia said. “None of us can help you there.”
“We love Stiles,” Hannah, an older mother in their group with twins.
“We only started getting together for coffee because of him.” Megan added. “My husband gets this twitch in his eye every time I mention having coffee with an attractive younger man.”
Hannah laughed. “God, I thought that was just my Eric.”
Stiles flushed. “I…”
Kelly leaned around Lydia to pat him on the back. “It’s nice to have someone male in the group.”
“So you don’t use me to make your husband jealous?”
She shook her head. “Of course I do.”
Lydia started laughing so hard that she had to grab onto Stiles’ knee. “I have to tell everyone about this.”
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
Scott was lying on the floor with Isabella in front of him playing a werewolf versus baby tug of war with a small stuffed alphabet worm while Stiles sat at the table and worked his way frantically, and carefully, through the last minute mountain of work the newspaper had given him. The Lewis Gazette had called him, their other general dog’s body was sick and they desperately needed Stiles to work through his backlog before the next issue.
But, the meeting the day before had brought up something else, something that was tugging at the back of Stiles’ mind. He tried to ignore the proposal and focus on the work in front of him.
“Stiles,” Scott called out.
Stiles finished the article he was on before he looked up. Isabella was gnawing on a teething ring and Scott was fiddling with the stuffed caterpillar. “Do you need to go? Because it’s about time for her nap and I completely understand that I’m taking advantage of you.”
“No,” Scott waved him off. “I like hanging with my niece.”
“And Allison has to work today.”
“I would be here anyway.”
Stiles smiled and Isabella pulled her teething ring out to look at it before shoving it back in.
“Then…” Stiles prompted.
“I’m going to be Isabella’s godfather, right? I mean you keep mentioning it.”
“Of course.”
“Are you ever going to make it official though?”
“Official?”
“You know, a christening ceremony, me holding Izzy wearing a tie and someone doing something official. Probably with Derek there glaring at me because I’m getting to hold Izzy and not him.”
“He might glare at you for that. He has taken to being her godfather. You both have. I suppose the whole pack has been amazing even if I haven’t been very good at making time for most of you.”
“Stiles, focus.”
“Oh, right, well I will organise it. It just slipped my mind.”
Scott smiled at him widely. “Good. Because she’s eight months old and it’s getting weird.”
Stiles laughed. “Thanks.”
“Also, I have some news.”
Stiles dropped his pen completely and left his work behind to go and sit next to Scott. Isabella pulled herself up and holding onto the couch with one hand reached out for Stiles.
“She’s getting better at that,” Scott said, while Stiles held her hands allowing her to try and step towards him. She tried to balance on her feet for a moment and then landed heavily on her padded backside.
Stiles pulled her over and onto his lap. “So, news?”
“I’m going to ask Allison to marry me.”
Stiles picked Izzy up and twisted her around. “Oh, Izzy, did you hear that! Uncle Scott is finally going to ask Aunty Allison to marry him.” Stiles bounced Isabella up and down while she happily giggled. “We’re so happy for you.”
Scott laughed and pulled Isabella into his arms. “I remember once upon a time there was no baby in the celebrations. I think it’s better now.”
“And one day it might be your baby.”
“Nope,” Scott said. “Well, one day but you’ve convinced me it’s better to wait a while.”
Stiles frowned at him. “Are you implying that your goddaughter and very excellent niece has put you off having children?”
“No, she is the thing that would make me have them. You being bat-shit crazy about her put me off having kids just yet. And, it would probably be a good idea to be more than a year out of university before we have kids…I mean, obviously that’s not…you know what I mean.”
“I do.” Stiles said. “And it’s probably a good plan. It’s not easy trying to be a single parent and I have a pack and Dad and Melissa to all help me. What the hell would I be doing if I didn’t have the lot of you?”
“You aren’t going to have to find out.” Scott said. “Allison and I certainly aren’t going anywhere and Derek wouldn’t go anywhere either.”
“He’s been so amazing. I should get the christening organised.” Isabella began to fuss in his arms. “Can you stay a while longer? I’m going to put her down and we can get organised.”
“Allison is coming to get me later and we thought we’d make you cook us dinner.”
“That seems fair, since I made you come here and look after Izzy.”
“I figure I will just make you help when we have kids.”
Stiles stood up and nodded before looking down at Isabella. “Do you think we should help your Uncle Scott one day? He seems pretty sure that Aunty Allison is going to agree to marry his hairy backside…do you think she is? She might find someone better.”
Scott laughed behind his back. “She’ll say yes.”
“He’s so very sure of himself.” Stiles left Scott behind and started up the stairs to tuck Isabella into bed with her teddy.
Scott was standing next to the table, where Stiles had his work piled up.
“How are you going to propose?”
Scott turned and smiled. “I’m going to take her out to the woods, that cliff that overlooks town. I’m packing a picnic and I’m going to ask her at sunset.”
Stiles chuckled. “You are such a romantic.”
Scott smiled. “It won her back after everything that happened so I’m not at all worried about being a romantic.” Scott frowned and trailed his fingers along the paper on the table. “Do you want me to go so you can get more work done?”
“Nah,” Stiles shrugged. “I’ll do them tonight when she is sleeping. Now…what the hell happens at a christening?”
Scott shrugged. “I leave and I’m Izzy’s godfather beyond that I don’t know. I’m thinking I’ll grow a little mo’ for the event and wear a tux - make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
“Oh God, save me from terrible Godfather impersonations.”
“Terrible? It’s brilliant not terrible.”
“Allison has let you remain deluded for too long. What should I make you for dinner?”
Scott looked unsure for a moment, made a big deal out of scratching at his chin. “Well…I suppose if you felt really sorry for taking advantage of me today you could make that risotto you made the last time I came up to visit you at university.”
Stiles nodded. “You’re going to have to go and buy me some leek then.”
“I can do that.”
“Go do it now, and I will get a couple more articles out of the way while she’s sleeping. Then we can find out what the hell we are supposed to do at a christening.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n.” Scott saluted and then turned to leave.
Stiles drove up to Derek’s house and turned the engine off. Derek walked out of the house and Stiles could see the frown on his face from inside his car.
“I’m sorry,” Stiles said, climbing out of the car. “I should have called before I came.”
“Why?”
“You look like I’m interrupting something.”
“I was just surprised that you had come out, and that you’d left Is at home.”
“I was hoping you and I could talk about something.”
“Come in,” Derek said, turning around and waking back into the house. “I was just about to have lunch.”
Stiles followed Derek through the house and into the kitchen. Derek was already making them both sandwiches by the time Stiles came to stand next to him.
“Get yourself a drink.”
Stiles went to the fridge and then sat at the table watching Derek put their lunch together. He didn’t say much as he watched, trying to think about the best way to discuss what he’d been thinking about.
Derek placed the sandwich in front of him and sat down before he prodded Stiles for information. “Why did you come over?”
Stiles picked at the bread of his sandwich and looked down at the dark wood of the table. “I’ve had a job offer.”
“Where?”
“The paper in Lewis.”
“You have to move?”
Stiles looked up sharply. “I can’t move, Dad’s here, the pack’s here. You’re here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Derek’s shoulders de-tensed and he frowned. “Then why is it a bad thing?”
“They want me to write a column. About being a single dad just out of university.”
Derek stared at him, obviously waiting for more.
“It would mean I'd have to write about everything, including the pack since you are such a large part of my life and Izzy’s life. I will change all the names and hide as much as I can but it’s a fairly small town in the end and someone might work out who’s writing it.”
“Okay.”
“Obviously I would do everything I could to protect you all.”
“From what?”
“Well…from people knowing I was writing about you in the paper.”
“Okay.”
“I talked to Dad and Scott about it the other night; Scott was looking after Izzy when I got the offer.”
“And what did your father say?”
“He told me to think about it but that he wasn’t going to tell me what to do.”
“And, what do you think?” Derek asked.
“I think it’s money, and I need money.”
Derek stared at him fiercely for a moment. “You’re struggling?”
Stiles sighed. “It’s not too bad, I cover our expenses and I have a little bit to put away most weeks but for the most part I can’t really work enough to make any more. I don’t think I want to work more, I don’t like being away from her and what we’ve been doing is working but she’s going to get more expensive as she gets older, not less, so I’m going to have to do something.”
“Then take the job.”
“I think I need the pack’s permission.”
Derek shook his head. “You said it yourself, you’re changing the names and it’s in the Lewis paper not Beacon Hills. So, tell them - but you don’t need to ask their permission.”
Stiles rubbed at the back of his neck.
“I’m the alpha, as you keep reminding me, so take my word for it. Take the job.”
Stiles nodded and started eating.
“What else is going on? Where’s Is?”
“Lydia demanded an afternoon with her so she’s with Lydia.”
“If you ever want time off you can bring her here.”
“I’m fairly certain I take enough advantage of you.”
Derek frowned at him. “She’s my goddaughter; it’s not taking advantage of me. I’m free most of the time. If you need to get another job I could look after her if your dad was at work.”
“Why?” Stiles asked, confused, before his mouth consulted his brain.
Derek’s face closed down.
“No,” Stiles said in response. “I don’t mean, don’t…thank you for the offer but if I can stretch it I would like to wait until after she turns one.”
Derek nodded but Stiles could see that the alpha was still tense.
They sat in silence eating, well picking at, their food for a few minutes and then Stiles sighed.
“The thing is…the thing is, I don’t want to rely on the pack because you all have lives, you all have these lives that are just starting, first job, just out of university, it’s all possible and my life is different. It’s not where I thought it would be and it’s not what I thought it would be but I love it and I want the rest of the pack to find things they love.”
Derek frowned at him fiercely.
“I don’t think the pack is suddenly going to spread out and leave Beacon Hills, we all came back from university but I don’t want to be the single dad cramping their style when you all have better things to do.”
“Spending time with you and Is would be better than what I do most days.”
Stiles stared at Derek with confusion. “I just don’t…what can I say to that?”
“Why did you think I spent so much time with you both?”
Stiles smiled widely. “That’s awesome. Though, it’s a bit different hanging out with me and Izzy than you babysitting her for an entire day while I’m at work.”
“You wouldn’t be there but I’d like to spend time with her, and it’s a better option than day care.”
Stiles nodded. “It is a cheaper option, though…apparently it’s a good idea to do it for socialisation. She isn’t going to have siblings after all.”
“She isn’t?”
Stiles frowned at Derek. “Well…I’m not planning to knock someone else up. Isabella is amazing but honestly, if I have more kids I would like to do so with a partner.”
“But, you would have more?”
“Oh yeah,” Stiles smiled. “If I was in a relationship and preferably not just out of university and living with my dad. If I had an actual job or my partner did I would definitely like to have more kids. Izzy’s just going to have to be a very big sister since I’m not going to go near dating for a while.”
Derek’s face seemed to darken for a moment but then it cleared again so quickly, Derek nodding at Stiles, that the human assumed he had imagined it. “That’s good; I wouldn’t like to see someone who isn’t good enough around Is.”
Stiles smiled at him widely. “I’m so pleased I asked you to be her godfather, you…you’ve just been amazing, so much more so than I ever expected. Honestly, I kind of thought you might not like kids or want to have them in the pack.”
“I had younger cousins. Cora and I were the closest to them in age but I was always the one willing to play with them. Until…well, until I grew up a bit and didn’t want to hang out with ‘babies’ and then Kate and there were no more kids in my life.”
Stiles wanted to hug Derek but he knew if he hugged the werewolf he would end up doing something he regretted. It was hard enough to keep his wits about him during the full moon with all of the touching that occurred. Stiles reached out one hand and rested it on Derek’s wrist instead. He could feel the steady thump of the alpha’s pulse beneath his fingers and he couldn’t help but find the rhythmic beat comforting. Derek dropped his head and smiled up at Stiles.
“I didn’t expect children in this pack yet but I’m glad for Isabella.”
“Oh, that reminds me. Scott asked about the christening.”
Derek smiled. “You’ve decided to do something formal?”
“’Course, I just forgot all about it. I’m going to plan it with Dad. But, I thought I would mention that I am going to do it. I didn’t offer to make you a godparent only to ignore the formal ceremony.”
Derek shrugged. “I assumed you would get to it eventually.”
Stiles smiled. “Want to come over to dinner on Saturday night? Dad’s at work but you can come early and we’ll have dinner with Izzy, she does love her three mashed veg followed by fruit and yoghurt. I will think of something better for you and I but…well, if you have a date or something,” Stiles grinned at him, “I’ll understand. I suppose I will have to get used to it just being me and Izzy on Fridays and Saturdays.”
Derek’s stare turned heavy and focussed. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
“How? I mean…you’ve seen yourself. How do you not have dates every night? I’ve seen the way women in town look at you. I know Kate hurt you, and I know I don’t know it all but…I thought we, the pack obviously not me and Izzy, had made things better and it might be time to actually have a go.”
Derek shook his head.
“Why?”
“I dated after Kate,” Derek said quietly, looking down at the table. “Laura always said it was me acting out after losing everyone. I became a bit of a…well she called me a whore but I could never tell if she was entirely serious. It didn’t have anything to do with losing the rest of our family though. When I found out about Kate, who and what she was…what she had done to me…I wanted to…” Derek trailed off with a shrug as though that many words in one go had simply been too much.
“You were trying to prove that someone could want you for more that just their own nefarious purposes?”
Derek laughed, but it wasn’t a joyous sound. “Didn’t work.”
“Did you actually date them though?”
Derek looked at Stiles and shook his head. “I didn’t want to date, I was broken.”
Stiles yanked Derek’s arm closer to himself and realised with sudden horror that he had been holding onto Derek’s wrist the whole time. “You deserve better than what she did to you. If you want something more, you need to go out and get it.”
“I’m not sure I can have what I really want.”
“What do you want?” Derek looked down at his wrist and Stiles pulled away. “Sorry,” he mumbled quietly.
“I want something that’s not on offer,” Derek told him, his voice quiet, detached, but utterly convinced that he was telling the truth.
“I’m sorry.”
Derek shrugged. “Do you want to have the after christening party here?”
Stiles pulled back completely and slouched into his chair. “That would be cool. More room. More opportunity for the wolves to get in touch with their inner howler.”
“We don’t actually need to go out and run every time we get together.”
“Well I know that,” Stiles said. “But, it makes you all so happy and when the non-supernatural beings go then you can have fun. It makes Isabella laugh to see you all transform which is good since I don’t want her to be scared of her werewolf godfathers.”
“She’s pack; of course she isn’t scared of us.”
Stiles smiled and then sobered. “But, what about when she’s older? She isn’t going to be able to hide the fact that she has uncles that turn into werewolves.”
“The wonderful fact that people don’t believe what they don’t want to and by the time people start to think she is too old to be telling stories like that she will know not to talk about it and then it will be fine.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Derek smiled. “It works in werewolf packs around the world. People simply don’t believe anymore, not like they did once.”
“Yeah, no more villagers chasing you with pitchforks.”
“Pitchforks would never have done much to a werewolf, but an angry mob can be pretty resourceful.”
“I bet.”
Derek stood and carried their plates to the sink.
“So…” Stiles said, dragging the sound out. “Saturday?”
“Want me to bring anything?”
“I don’t think you need to. Just come a little early and entertain Izzy while I cook. We can watch a movie or something when she goes to bed.”
“Okay.”
“Good,” Stiles said, happily.
“Look what I found,” Sam said, coming into the kitchen where Stiles was washing the dishes.
Stiles turned around and looked at his father. In his hands was a white ball of material.
“I don’t know what that is.”
Sam shook the material out and Stiles could see it was a dress now.
“It’s a dress.”
“It’s a christening gown,” his father said, shaking his head disbelievingly at Stiles. “It was your christening gown.”
Stiles gaped at it for a moment. “I wore a dress.”
“Christening gown,” Sam corrected.
“Po-ta-to, po-tat-o,” Stiles said, with a shrug.
“I thought it might be nice for Bella to wear the same gown as her dad, a tradition. Your grandmother made this for you.”
“Cool. Nan made it?”
“As soon as you were born. Her friend did the embroidery. I will take it down tomorrow and get it cleaned then it’ll be all ready for her.”
“Thank you,” Stiles walked over to Isabella and pointed to the dress. “Izzy, you are going to wear the same dress that I wore when I was little.”
“It’s a good thing that you ended up being a big baby and that we had to hold off your christening as well or you wouldn’t be able to get Bella into the gown.”
“I think that was Grandad calling you fat.”
Sam laughed behind Stiles’ back. “And your daddy is quite ridiculous.”
Stiles fiddled with his tie and smiled down at his daughter. She waved her arms at him and then turned over and began crawling away from Stiles.
“I don’t look that bad.”
“No, you don’t.”
Stiles looked up sharply to find Derek standing in the doorway. Isabella stopped in front of him and used the material of his pant leg to pull herself up until she was standing, then she pulled at Derek’s pants. Stiles allowed himself to have one moment where he pictured the pants giving to Isabella’s baby muscles before Derek was bent in half and pulling Isabella up into his arms and then he settled her on his hip.
“Thanks,” Stiles said, walking over. “She must have known you were coming.” Stiles tickled his daughter until the chin. “There seems to be a little bit of werewolf in you too, isn’t there?”
“No,” Derek said, seriously.
Stiles rolled his eyes.
“She’s not dressed.”
“Please,” Stiles said slowly. “Baby, white dress, important event, no fracking way. I will change her in the car before we go into church. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see my goddaughter.”
“The ceremony’s not for another hour.”
Derek shrugged.
Stiles laughed and walked towards the kitchen. “Tea?”
“Sure.”
“You just hang with Izzy; she likes her Derek time almost as much as you do.”
Stiles didn’t need to see Derek’s face to know he’d be smiling about that.
“You can sit up here in the adult seat,” Stiles said. Derek ignored him and slipped into the backseat next to Isabella. “Do I smell?”
“Of the two of you,” Derek said, “you always smell better…but she does have that amazing baby smell still.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment to my personal hygiene.”
“You should.”
Stiles laughed as he started the car and pulled away from the house. Melissa had sprained her ankle so his father had gone around to help her get to the christening since Scott and Allison were rushing back from San Francisco. One of Allison’s friends from university had had her engagement party the night before and the couple were making the mad dash back up for the christening this morning. Thankfully, Scott still couldn’t get drunk.
When they arrived at the church, the same one his parents had been married in, the one he had been christened in, the one Scott had been christened in, the rest of the pack were standing there in a group outside of the doors.
“They are ridiculous,” Stiles said, while he parked.
“They are pack. You need to just accept this.”
“I-”
“Nope,” Derek said, sternly. “You need to think about this pack and how important you are to it and by extension how important Is is.”
Stiles bit back the laugh about is is. He knew that Derek meant it, that Isabella was important to the pack, Stiles knew it, but it was still hard to believe sometimes. “I’ll be over soon, I’m just going to change Izzy’s outfit.”
Derek frowned at him and then nodded and left Stiles to it. Stiles pulled Isabella out of her car seat and then quickly changed her, first her nappy for a new one and then the cute green outfit for the long, flowing christening gown.
“Is she ready yet?” Lydia asked.
Stiles pulled back, giving Lydia room to see.
“For a half gay man you are hopeless.”
“The term is still bisexual, Lydia.”
She shrugged and moved him out of the way so that she could get in and fiddle with Izzy’s outfit and hair. Stiles watched, curious, but he couldn’t really tell what she had done only that Isabella looked adorable, unnaturally adorable, as soon as she lifted her out of the car.
“What did you do?”
Lydia smiled at him brightly. “I made everything better. It’s what I do.”
Stiles nodded and leaned forward to kiss Lydia on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“I can’t have my niece looking shabby on her first big day. Sets a bad precedent.”
“True. Izzy, do you want to stay with Aunty Lydia?”
Isabella looked up at Lydia and curled her hand around some of the red hair that was hanging over Lydia’s shoulder.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Scott and Allison were late, their car turning into the car park a full ten minutes after they were supposed to be there with Scott stripping off in the middle of the car park and changing into his suit while the pack, and the priest, watched him. Scott paused after he’d pulled up his pants and waved at them. Allison shook her head in judgement.
“He needs to work on his confidence,” Stiles commented.
“I don’t think that’s one of his problems,” the priest said drolly, behind them.
Stiles laughed. “I’m so pleased that Izzy gets a cool priest to christen her.”
“Why, thank you, Mr Stilinski.”
“We’re here,” Scott said, rushing over.
“We know,” Stiles said, shaking his head. “Let your fiancé fix your tie and then come inside.”
“It’s my fault,” Allison said, tugging at her dress.
“It’s not a problem,” Stiles said. “The priest was happy to give us some time.”
“I’m a terrible aunt,” Allison said apologetically.
“You got changed in the back of your car,” Lydia said, “I think you have suffered enough.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yes,” Lydia said. “Come on, I already fixed Isabella now I suppose I can fix you.”
Allison followed Lydia into the church’s dressing room.
“Shall we go inside?” The priest asked. “Until the rest of the party is ready.”
Stiles handed Isabella to Derek. “Take her in, I’m just going to make her other godfather took presentable for the photos.”
Derek smiled and turned for the church.
“What’s wrong with me?” Scott asked, fiddling with his cuffs.
“You got dressed in a church car park.”
“We were running late, Allison changed in the passenger seat but we couldn’t really pull over, change drivers so that I could do the same. Especially since I think Allison might still be a little drunk.”
Stiles laughed as he fiddled with Scott’s collar and tie. “I didn’t expect a full on suit.”
“I’m about to be made a godfather, I’m taking this shit seriously.”
“Thank you.”
Scott shrugged. “If you have to thank me you don’t realise how much I like being a godfather and uncle.”
“I know how much you like it,” Stiles said, fiddling with the tie and then stepping back. “Much better.”
“Thanks.”
“Let’s go, we have a baby to introduce to Saint Peter.”
Scott shook his head and walked past Stiles into the church.
The christening was over with quickly, the water and oil anointed, the blessings placed, and the protection of immortal life given. As soon as the formalities were over they picked one of the lovely windows as a backdrop for their photos. When that was all done with they headed back to Derek’s house so that Isabella could have a nap while everyone else had a drink and something to eat.
Isabella woke up an hour later, marked by every werewolf in the room suddenly twisting, one ear towards Isabella’s room. Stiles reminded himself not to call it that, it was a spare room, one of many at Derek’s house, and even though it seemed to be dedicated to his daughter it was not her room.
“I’m assuming she’s awake then.”
“Yes,” Derek said, looking back down at Stiles.
“Then her two new godfathers can fight over who gets to get her.”
Derek won by sheer force of glare and when he came back Isabella was curled around him sucking her thumb. Stiles handed Derek her afternoon bottle and thus began the standard game of pass the baby between members of the pack, giving her hugs and sharing her scent among them. When she finally make her way back to Stiles she smiled at him happily, squeezing at his cheeks before she repeated the action she had been doing with the other people - she tucked her head into his neck.
“I’m not sure if I want her growing up thinking that scenting people is appropriate social behaviour.”
“It is for us,” Danny pointed out. “And she’s pack.”
“I’ll bring you along when her teacher calls me to have a discussion about her sticking her nose in other people’s necks then, shall I?”
Danny shrugged. “Blame the alpha.”
“She will learn what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour.” Sam said.
“All kids do,” Melissa threw in.
“I think it’s time for gifts,” Lydia said, putting a small red box down in front of Stiles.
“You shouldn’t be buying us anything else.”
“Well,” Danny said, “we were thinking, she has a star.”
“And we wanted to give her something cool for this as well.” Isaac said.
“We have no ideas left for when she has another big present needing moment.” Jackson threw in.
“What did you do?” Stiles asked, looking around the pack.
“We bought her a part of the moon,” Boyd said, with as much excitement as he ever showed. “Plus, we all got little things for her too.”
“Because it’s pretty important to us and now she owns a part of it,” Cora said.
“Or,” Jackson said, “because it’s kind of cool.”
“But mainly because of how important the moon is to werewolves.” Derek said, then placed a wrapped box on the coffee table. “I also got her this.”
“You all need to stop spoiling her.” Stiles said.
“Like you wouldn’t be doing the exact same thing if one of us had a kid instead,” Isaac said.
“Open the presents,” Scott said, pushing his own wrapped box over.
Stiles glared at him.
“I’m her godfather and her uncle it’s only fair to buy her two presents.”
Stiles laughed, then he twisted Isabella around. “Shall we open your presents?”
Isabella sucked at her thumb and stared at him.
“Wow, such enthusiasm.”
Stiles handed Isabella off to his father, in exchange for his own wrapped gift. Melissa handed him one as he walked past and when he returned to his place there were a selection of gifts on the table.
Derek had given her an intricate gold cross with white gold detailing. “Mainly for when she’s older.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you.”
Scott and Allison gave her an ID bracelet with her name engraved on it, and a little wolf’s head charm attached to one of the links near the name plate. There was also a little enamel plated bee on each side of her name.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Thank you,” Allison said brightly.
Jackson and Boyd, Stiles had to work out what was going on there, had given Isabella a lovely porcelain doll. “This is amazing, and too nice for her.”
Boyd shrugged. “Every little girl needs a doll.”
Jackson nodded but helpfully didn’t say anything.
Melissa gave him books to add to the ones he read to Isabella every night. Cora gave her two utterly adorable dresses and an offer to babysit when she was home in summer. Isaac got her three new toys.
Danny bought her a book of bible stories written for children. “She has just been christened.” And a specially made bear named Bella Stilinski with light tan fur and a pink and purple dress, matched by the bow on its head. “And because she’s a little kid.”
“Thank you.”
Lydia had given him a small card.
“What’s this?”
“I thought it would be cute if you got some of those little kid photos so I bought you a session. You just need to call that number and set up a time. And if you say a single word about cost I will hurt you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The last gift Stiles opened was from his father. “You did something silly didn’t you?”
“No.”
Stiles glared at him but then he opened the gift to find a photobook inside. Stiles looked up at his father and ran his fingers over the title. Bella’s Family.
“You had to call it Bella’s?”
His father smirked at him. “That is what I call her.”
“I know,” Stiles looked down and began flipping through the book, a picture of his grandparents, young, then one on their wedding day, followed by his other grandparents, pictures of his mother and father growing up, their wedding day, Stiles the day he’d been born and a range of him growing up, until the photo of Isabella on the day she was born. “Dad.”
“I thought I could make her another one for her first birthday.”
“It’s amazing, thank you.”
Sam smiled down at his granddaughter. “That’s because I am the best grandfather in the history of the world.”
Isabella smiled at him, and continued to chew on her finger.
“Thank you all,” Stiles said, looking at the gifts. Stiles stood up and took Isabella back. “You need to say thank you too, sweetie. You have the whole pack wrapped around your pinkie.”
Isabella didn’t react so he grabbed a rusk and swapped it for her red finger and then handed her to Derek.
“You’re probably going to have to just assume drooling on you is her way of saying thank you.”
“I’m okay with that,” Derek said.
The rest of the pack happily welcomed her into their arms when Derek let her go.
“Why don’t you do something about Derek?” Lydia asked.
They were sitting in the park on a warm afternoon, Isabella between Stiles and Lydia on a picnic blanket.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Well,” she said slowly. “You’re in love with him so….are you going to do something about it?”
Stiles’ face heated up and he dropped his head down to rest on his elbow.
“I’m not in love with him.”
Lydia laughed at him.
“Okay, fine, I’m in love with him. I didn’t intend to fall again.”
“You never got over him,” Lydia said plainly. “I know that, everyone knows that, you’re in love with him. The only one unaware of it is Derek. So, back to my question, are you going to do something about it?”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Well, there's Izzy.”
“He loves Izzy.”
“I know, he’s been amazing but taking me on would be one thing. Dating me would be dating me with Isabella and if it all went to shit then Isabella might lose one of her favourite people. I don’t even think he likes me like that. He’s always been pretty distant, though Isabella has brought him closer.”
“If you don’t have a go you’ll never know.”
“Are you okay? That was rather sweet of you.”
“I want you to be happy, if you don’t have a go with Derek you’ll spend the next six years pining after him like you have the last six.”
“Thank you.”
“Plus, you could do with a good fucking.”
“Thanks.”
“No really, it’s kind of pathetic how obvious it is that you haven’t had sex since Sophia. And I know Derek needs it too, it’s not nice to think about how long it’s been since that man had sex.”
Stiles looked down at the blanket and began picking at a loose thread. “I don’t think he’s interested. Honestly. I asked him about his not dating and I think he’s given up on the whole idea completely. Kate messed him up.”
“No shit. But, he’s going to have to get over it sometime. Maybe yours can be the magical healing cock of his salvation.”
Stiles laughed so hard he couldn’t think of anything to say to dissuade her further.
TBC...
Masterpost | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9